I was sleeping deeply and sweetly after that heavy dinner at Anna's.

  Early the next morning, Alphus woke me up again.

  "Greg!" he shook my shoulder. "Did you forget again?"

  "Yeah, yeah, hold on," I mumbled, swatting his hand away.

  We stepped outside. I noticed we had company today: Anna, Alexia, and Lianel were also there, dressed in athletic gear.

  "What are they doing here?" I asked, surprised.

  The moment the starting signal sounded, I understood: the girls were competing against each other. Within the first hundred meters, they completely dusted us, blowing past us as if we were standing still. Alphus, utterly demoralized, instantly deflated.

  "Seriously," I said, jogging next to him. "Are you really sad about that? You have an entirely different goal. To pass the exam."

  He seemed to snap out of it. I immediately realized my role had to change. This time, I decided to stay ahead of him and actively steal his hope of winning. It’s the best motivation.

  We started running. I kept a steady distance of about five meters between us. He tried to catch up. I immediately sped up. After about a kilometer, his spirit had visibly plummeted.

  I looked back over my shoulder (without dropping my pace) and started yelling: "I don't see any burning desire in your eyes to overtake me! Actually, I don't see you trying to pass me at all! Hahaha! Am I just a shadow you can never catch? Do you think this is completely pointless?!"

  He was gasping for air, but a spark of genuine anger ignited in his eyes. Just then, a sparrow flew overhead. Alphus immediately locked onto it and started chasing the bird, trying to outrun it.

  I understood. For now, his goal wasn't me. And that was the right call—why try to move a mountain right away?

  I maintained my distance while Alphus found his own competitors: first the bird, then a falling leaf. When he "beat" the leaf—forcing it to hit the ground after he had already sprinted past it—I noticed a look of genuine joy on his face. He had found his own coping mechanism for overcoming obstacles.

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  At the end of the run, he crossed the finish line and nearly collapsed onto the dirt. The girls, of course, hadn't waited for us.

  Whatever, I thought. I did my part.

  I walked over to him. "You made the time," I said. "And you held up much better today. Congratulations."

  Alphus gave a heavy, exhausted nod. "Thanks, Greg."

  I turned around and started walking away. "You can run without me from now on. I'm going to sleep."

  I returned to my room and collapsed into bed. The sleep was entirely too short.

  That evening, I dropped by the gym. Anna was there alone. I just stood back and observed the dummy's performance. It was moving exceptionally well. Basic defense. But what flawless execution! It was a satisfying sight.

  "Yeah," I muttered. "Anna's mana only lasted ten minutes."

  She had given the dummy four swords instead of two. Well, obviously: it drained mana twice as fast. Anna, noticing me, stepped away from the mannequin—which was now barely twitching—and jogged over.

  "Greg! Recharge it!" she demanded, holding out the battery stone.

  I didn't even move a muscle. "Recharge it yourself," I said, casually picking my ear. "Can't you see? I'm busy."

  "Busy doing what?! You're literally just sitting there!" she huffed indignantly.

  "I am busy with a very important task," I stated haughtily. "I am resting. I had a very difficult day."

  She started complaining, whining like a little kid: "But this stone holds the mana charge so poorly!"

  I nodded slowly. "Of course it does. It's just a stone. It has fragile feelings. Here, take it, call it stupid, and watch it discharge twice as fast."

  "Greg, fix it!" she stomped her foot, clearly having forgotten entirely that she was supposed to be a princess.

  I remained completely unbothered. "Fix it yourself. I gave you a sparring dummy, be happy you even have that. You want a perfectly optimized battery? That's going to cost you a whole week of dinners, not just one measly plate of rice!"

  She crossed her arms, pouted, and started making demands like a toddler throwing a tantrum. I couldn't stomach the sight of it. I was an ancient, overwhelmingly powerful being! It was beneath me to endure the petty whims of children!

  "That's it," I said, standing up. "I'm leaving. I actually have a very important date tonight."

  "With who?!" she asked, completely taken aback.

  I turned and looked at her like she was a complete idiot. "With my pillow, who else? She never betrays me."

  I turned on my heel and dramatically walked away.

  The battery stone flew straight at the back of my head.

  "Whoa!" I shouted, ducking out of the way just in time. The stone clattered against the wall.

  Yeah, I thought, walking down the hallway. A real shame. And which one of us is supposed to be the child here? At least I don't throw rocks.